


Fateful Meeting

by DesertVixen



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology, The Odyssey - Homer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 15:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10901766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertVixen/pseuds/DesertVixen
Summary: How Penelope and Odysseus might have met...





	Fateful Meeting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [betony](https://archiveofourown.org/users/betony/gifts).



Penelope watched from the window as another group of travelers approached. She was beginning to wonder if there was an unmarried king or prince in all of Achaea who was not taking advantage of her uncle Tyndareus’ hospitality. The news of her cousin Helen’s beauty had spread far and wide, especially now that she was of an age to marry. Penelope had no idea what had prompted them to come, but the first suitor had arrived only a day or two after Penelope had arrived herself.

At first, there was one. Then two. Then a flood of men who desired to possess her cousin’s beauty.

And somehow the men kept arriving – young ones and old ones, kings with great riches and princes who had only their looks and charm to recommend them, athletes and warriors and poets, handsome and plain – and while they brought many fine gifts for the members of the royal household to admire, they also brought something else with them.

Trouble. 

Tyndareus dared not accept any gifts, lest that be taken as a sign that he favored one suitor over another. At the same time, he could not turn any of the suitors away, lest they take offense. There was quite enough offense to go around, with men’s tempers flaring as they remembered old slights and created new reasons to fight with each other over who would win the hand of her golden-haired cousin.  


Others seemed to be taking advantage of having so many of their contemporaries to discuss trade and other important matters. Penelope found some of those conversations…interesting, and gathering interesting information was one of her unofficial duties in the palace. After all, a young woman could not sit and weave all day.

However, Penelope was of the opinion that suitors were nothing but trouble. It was really too bad that Tyndareus had not adopted her father Icarius’ methods of dealing with troublesome young men. 

This newest arrival appeared to have no treasure-wagon with him, and Penelope wondered what he had brought her uncle. She could not deny that there was something about the man that captured her attention. He was not as handsome as some, but certainly not ugly. He was of medium height, but even from here she could see that he was strongly built, and moved with a dangerous and deliberate grace, like a panther she had once seen in her father’s kingdom. She had wondered what it would be like to touch it…

He looked up in her direction, and Penelope took a step back from the window. She had no idea who this man was, but she wanted to know more about him.

Even if he was a suitor for her cousin’s hand.

*** ***

It did not take Penelope long to discover that the new arrival was named Odysseus, and that he had been closeted with Tyndareus. She was surprised when her uncle summoned her, and bid her ensure that Helen would be looking her best this evening, along with the other young women of the royal family. One problem of having the palace overrun with suitors was that the young women had been more confined to their rooms than was normal, to prevent anyone from kidnapping Helen. 

There was laughter and suggestive remarks as young women fluttered about, braiding and pinning up hair, trying to decide how to appear at their best. None of them were as beautiful as Helen, of course, with her long heavy hair like ripe wheat and lips the red of pomegranates, but Penelope prided herself on her own dark hair and neat figure. She found herself wondering if Odysseus would even notice her next to Helen, and found herself hoping that he would.

The great hall was overflowing with Helen’s suitors. It took a moment for Penelope to find Odysseus, seated with Menelaus and Agamemnon of Mycenae. Her initial impression of Odysseus as a strong man had been correct, she thought. He lounged against the cushions, sprawling a little in an attitude that displayed strong arms and legs, and negligent grace. His dark gray eyes met hers, just for a moment. Then he smiled at her, a smile that made her feel quite strange. If she had imagined him as a sleek hunting cat earlier, now she felt as if she might be the prey.

Penelope wondered how he was at running…

She rather hoped he was fast.

*** ***

Her uncle Tyndareus waited until all of the people in the great hall had been served, then moved to the platform in the middle of the great hall.

“I have made my decision,” he announced in a booming voice. In the silence that followed, Penelope thought she could hear Helen’s heart pounding. “Tomorrow, I will announce my decision. But first, I must insist that all of you swear an oath that you will not challenge the decision. More than that, you will all swear that if someone should steal Helen away from her husband, everyone gathered here will give her husband whatever aid he requires.”

The hall erupted. Tyndareus stood unmoving, waiting for the storm to blow over him. When the shouts had died to mutters, the Spartan king continued. “Two days hence, we will celebrate my daughter’s marriage.”

Penelope glanced in Helen’s direction. Her cousin had a somewhat frozen look on her face. Of course, it was a bit of a shock. Had Helen thought the suitors would continue to hang around for years? True, she was a prize, but the men must have other matters to attend to. They had already lingered long enough.

Who had her uncle chosen? Penelope wondered. It seemed logical enough to tie Odysseus’ arrival to her uncle’s sudden decisiveness… 

It was not a happy thought.

*** ***

The orchard was quiet and dark, exactly what Penelope needed. She could not take another moment of the pandemonium in the women’s quarters, as a frenzy of preparation for the as-yet unknown bridegroom began. She knew she should not be here alone, but the majority of the male guests seemed to be trying to best each other as they listed their achievements – battles won, honors conferred, and other boasts in that vein. Walking here soothed her.

“My lady.” Penelope turned, startled, to see Odysseus standing there. 

“My lord,” she replied.

“Might I walk with you?”

Penelope knew that she should say no, that she shouldn’t even really be here. “Of course.”

They walked together in silence for some time. She found it quite comfortable, although she was very aware of the man who walked beside her. 

“Is there a man the fair Helen prefers?” Odysseus finally asked. 

“Does it matter? My uncle has chosen.” Was he checking out the competition, she wondered with a sinking feeling.

“He has…and he has not.” There was something of a laugh lurking in his voice.

“You seem to enjoy speaking in riddles, Odysseus.” Penelope appreciated a man whose wits were as sharp as his sword – and one who was skilled at wielding those wits – but she wondered what he was trying to get at.

“Sometimes,” he admitted. “This time, however, I am interested in knowing if there is a suitor who has found favor.” 

“Are you planning to remove him from your path?” 

This time, Odysseus did laugh. “I have no intention of marrying Helen. I came to aid your uncle instead.” Odysseus wished he could share his plan with this young woman, who he felt would not only approve of his plan, but applaud it. If possible, he wished to give Helen a man she liked. It would make it easier all around.

She studied him for a moment. “She speaks favorably of Menelaus,” Penelope finally replied. “She finds him handsome and pleasant.” Unlike his brother, Penelope thought. Agamemnon was handsome, and a skilled warrior, but Penelope chose to stay away from him if possible. Far away from him.

Odysseus nodded. Menelaus would do nicely. Better him than Agamemnon. “Is there a man the fair Penelope prefers?”

Her heart skipped a beat. “I fear my father has a way of discouraging suitors.”

They had stopped near the entrance to the orchard. 

“I think he would find me a hard man to discourage.” Odysseus captured her hand and lifted it to his lips. His palm was strong and calloused against her skin, his lips soft. “If it would please you.”

“This is very sudden,” Penelope murmured, trying not to show how much that simple touch had affected her. She tried not to wonder how his lips might feel elsewhere. “But not unpleasant.”

He gave her a slow smile that made her feel warm all over. “Since I saw you at the window, I felt our fates would be linked together.”

She gave him a tentative smile in return, curling her fingers around his hand. “That also pleases me. I have a weakness for…riddles.”

She only hoped his legs were as quick as his wits.

*** ***

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this! I am also a Odysseus/Penelope fan, so I had fun envisioning how they might have met. 
> 
> Plenty of references to Icarius, Penelope's father and Tyndareus' brother, and his requirement that a suitor must beat him in a footrace... and Penelope developing an early dislike for suitors.


End file.
